Come on guys if has some tune ups before Wladimir it's not ducking it's playing smart because...... # 1 17 pro fights is just too few be going in with a guy over 50 fights let Povetkin has about 20 pro fights before going into the lions den # 2 He needs seasoning fighting good tall boxers who can punch a bit Byrd Chambers and Estrada are all world class but small and none punchers and no way got Povetkin ready for Wladimir. # 3 Arreola, Chambers, and Haye are as ready as ever will be Povetkin is not.
He is 30 years old, and has had long and tremendous amateur background-he is as ready as he is going to get-no excuses
If Povetkin was NOT ready they should never have put him in the IBF eliminator tourney!:deal. Povetkin is 30. When is the time right.
I'm not sure if Areolla is as ready as he'll ever be. He could lose 20 lbs and be more ready, and hell...learn to box better. Not get rid of his natural aggressive style, thats his strength, but he needs fine tuning. Besides, he hasn't fought a world class fighter in my eyes. Chambers and Haye, agreed. They are ready. Povetkin could do with facing a wider range of styles, that I agree on. He's faced too many smaller, speed merchants that can't punch. It could be a major shock to his system facing a guy with physical advantages and power. That said, there just aren't that many bigger guys that can prepare him for Wlad.
If Povetkin forgoes his mandatory shot again I think the IBF will pull the plug. But, you never know what these sanctioning bodies will do.
He won the tournament when many thought he won't and laughed at the fact that he's listed there thinking he's too green. The reason why he needs more tune ups is because of the injury/surgery that postponed their first fight. A good example similar to this is Abraham after the first Miranda fight, it was Abraham who was supposed to fight Taylor after it but the jaw injury/surgery forced him out of it and the IBF demanded that he takes a long break and fight a tune up type of fighter after it. That's when Miranda got another chance to get a shot at Taylor but failed against Povetkin and the rest is history. Povetkin knows it's do or die in this fight against Wladimir, if he can't beat Wladimir then won't be able to beat Vitali and Valuev is an overpotected fraud who needs gift decisions against grandfathers.
If it takes as long as needing tune ups all the way to next year then stripping him of #1 is reasonable. One year being #1 without getting a shot because of his own personal problems will eventually be ignored.
Vlad will knock out Povetkin, Arreola, Haye, Chambers and the rest. However, looks like Vitali will beat Vlad to Haye. Vitali will knock Haye out like he did Hide.
Why not? It was good way of getting quality wins and rising up in rankings. I personally think its smart thing to take couple of tune-ups and get him to 100% ready, before challenging Wlad.
He should fight Wlad and lose. It would not crack him, he will get back. Even feeble minded Klitchko came back from losses. He did not lose a boxing match in several years - and the last one he lost in some tournament final was presumably a robbery. Let him fight, he is good.